Office of Business Opportunity

Bernard Willingham

Bernard Willingham is a veteran in the development, implementation, and execution of supplier diversity programs in the Healthcare, Education, and Transportation sectors. Presently, he serves as Senior Compliance Officer for the Houston Airport System’s International Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP). In this capacity he executes the MWBE, Pay or Play, Labor Compliance, and Drug Policy Compliance programs for ITRP and works closely with The Airport’s Office of Business Opportunity.

Bernard previously served as the Supplier Diversity Manager for the Houston Independent School District’s Office of Business Assistance. His responsibilities included fostering greater Minority/Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation opportunities through educational workshops and community advisory committees. Additionally, Bernard managed MWBE program compliance, labor, and security monitoring compliance for the District’s $1.89 billion 2012 capital improvement bond program. Bernard was a leading founding member of the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program (IMPP), an interagency partnership between the City of Houston, Houston ISD, Houston Metro Transit Authority, and The Port of Houston Authority. The goal of the IMPP is to provide hands-on training and mentorship to stimulate capacity growth of diverse businesses.

Before joining the Houston Independent School District, Bernard served in the healthcare space as a hospital management consultant. His core responsibilities focused on medical equipment planning, strategic capital budgeting and asset management systems, strategic planning, demographic and competitor analysis, and operational process improvement.

Bernard is a past planning committee member for the Supplier Diversity Institute, sponsored by the National Association of Educational Procurement. He also served as a planning committee member and the Advocacy Group/Chamber of Commerce liaison for the Houston Government Procurement Connections State of Procurement Conference.

Bernard has been married to the love of his life for 29 years. They have five children and 14 grandchildren. Bernard is an avid Texans, Rockets, and Astros fan. He also writes his own computer, web-based software programs.